Starting mechanism for steam-automobiles.



J. C. FULLER.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR STEAM AUTOMOBILES.

Patented Ju1 24, 1917.

37SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR.

. *ATTORNEY" J. C. FULLER.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR STEAM AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICAT ION HLED MAY I9. 1916. Patented July 24,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I INVENTOR.

- ATTORNEY J. c. FULLER. STARTING MECHANISM FOR STEAM AUTOMOBILES.

' APPLICATION FILED MAYI9. I9I5.

Patented July 24,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- I I I R: I I 0 I I MQ NQ I WI I II I I III I N\\ MWII\\\ I #QFF t I f a I: \QI 1/ 1 3 as w g 5 W C I 0 E\ m .I 3 I I I IQ Q I g 3 5 2 I Q g M N: M I I I, Q3 .I .I Q .I%\ @I.. I m II 9x I I Q I .I\\ \\N.\ g 3 Q I W n H I 5 Ms 5 5 W BY I fi ATTORNEY JOSEPH G. FULLER, 0F PERTH AMBOY, NEW JERSEY.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR STEAM-AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1917.

Application filed May is, 1916. Serial No. 95,700.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, JOSEPH C. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanism for Steam-Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device by which the starting of steam automobiles, or, in fact, any mechanism in which steam is the moving force, is facilitated. Hitherto one of great drawbacks to the use of a steam engine as the prime mover for automobiles, motor boats, and the like, has been the diflicnlty experienced in starting the fire and the annoyance attendant upon getting up steam pressure in the boiler especially with kerosene as the fuel. My invention aims to co ordinate the various functions or events that are necessary in firing up a steam boiler, utilizing a heavy liquid hydro-carbon as the fuel, and to make the accomplishment of these functions or events automatic through the utilization of suitable apparatus.

For purposes of illustration I have shown my invention as applied to the mechanism of a. wellknown steam automobile of American manufacture, namely, the Stanley Steamer. Certain types of this vehicle are adapted to burn kerosene as a fuel, this liquid being much more inexpensive than the gasolene, or the other lighter hydro-carbons. Kerosene, however, possesses the disadvantage of not readily vaporizing without the application of external heat, and hitherto it has been the practice in firing up the boilers of. Stanley Steamers using kerosene to utilize an acetylene torch or someother similar device, for heating the pilot burner under the boiler to such a tempera ture that the gasolene passing through the burner would vaporize and burn, thus mak-' ing it possible to heat up the main burners under the boiler and so eventually cause them to vaporize their fuel. This has been a hand-controlled operation, requiring considerable patience and experience, in order to carry it out satisfactorily. It usually takes upward of three or four minutes to bring the main burners into such condition that they are ready to vaporize the fuel and perform their proper function. My invention is designedl'o overcome all the disad' vantages inherent in the hitherto necessary in firing this manner..

manual operations up a boiler in In the accompanyin drawings, which form a part of this speclfication, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan View showing the entire mechanism. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the actuating mechanism, parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the mechanism shownin Fi 2, certain parts being shown in section or the purpose of clearness. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a modified form of actuating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail end view of a portion of this mechanism. Fig. 6 shows a view of a modified form of burner mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numieral 1 designates the main kerosene storage tank, from which, when the automobile is normally operating, the fuel passes through pipes 2 and 3 the power-driven kerosene pump 4 which takes the fuel thus fed to it and pumps it through pipe, 5, check valve 6, pipe 7, automatic relief valve 8, pipe 9, main burner valve 10, through various automatic valves and coils indicated by the dotted lines 11, through-pipe 12, main burner tube 13, t0 the main burner 14. The kerosene issues from the burner as a vapor, which mixes with a suitable quantity of air and passes through the burner casting 15, burning in the space 16 under the boiler 17. It will be seen that since the tube 13 is directly in the path of the flame, the kerosene is heated on its way to the main burner and thus a. continuous operation is insured. The problem is, then, to heat this main burner tube to such a temperature that kerosene passing through it will be in condition to be vaporized and will thus readily burn.

Through the action of the pump 4 the kerosene is maintained under pressure in that part of the lines starting with the pipe 5, by virtue of the check valve 6, which prevents its return through the pump, and the air pressure domes 18 which communicate with the pipe 9. When the pressure in the pipe 9 exceeds that which is desirable for normal operation, the excessive pressure opens the automatic relief valve 8, allowing the kerosene to return through pipe 19 to the storage tank. By means of this construction the pump 4 may be continuously operated and will maintain a constant pressure in the line without danger of excessive pressure building up.

The parts of the mechanism so far described form no feature of my invention,

but are in well known use upon a large numwhere it wi ber of Stanley Steamers already in operation. Supposing that there is no fire under the boiler 17 and that the parts are all cold, it is necessary to initiate a series of events which will produce continuous vaporization of'the fuel. This is accomplished, according to my invention, in the followmg manner: The operator first pulls out the ring 20 which closes an electric switch 21. A circuit is thus formed from the storage battery 22 or other-source of electrical energy through wire 23, switch 21, wire 24, motor 25, wire 26, and wire 27. This starts the motor, the shaft 28 of which immediately begins to revolve, turning with it gear 29. Th s gear in turn rotates the gear 30, wh1ch is connected by means of a crank 31 to the kero sene pump 32, which immediately draws kerosene from the-tank 1, through the pipe 33 and pumps it through pipe 34 and check valve 35 into'the main kerosene l-lne which, under normal conditions of operation, is fed from the main kerosene pump 4. It will, of course, be appreciated that at this moment the kerosene pump 4 is not in operation, since the engine 0 the vehlcle, to wh ch it is geared, is not running. This series of events makes certain a supply of kerosene under pressure in the main kerosene line. scarcely hasthe shaft of the motonstarted to rotate when automatic means, which will later be described in detail, closes a switch 36, com letinga circuit from the storage battery hrouglh wire 23, switch 21, wire 24, wire 37, switc '36, wire 38, heating 0011 39, wire 40-and wire 27. This causes the currentto pass through the electric heating coil 39, which surrounds a burner tube 41 leading to a'burner 42, which may be ad acent to the main burner 14. This coilmay be of anv suitable and well-known construction and need not be described here in detail.

After a suitable interval has elapsed, which will depend upon the current available from the storage battery, and other .fac-

tors involving the dimensions of the parts, the burner tube 41 will be heated to such a temperature that any kerosene that maybe forced throu h it will be heated to a point fl immediately vaporize upon issuing from the burner 42. At this instant automatic means (later to be descrlbed) opens valve 43,- permitting kerosene under pressure to flow from the plpe 9 through the pipe 44, assin the manually operated valve 45, whic has een opened by the operator before closing the switch 21, continues through pipe 46, valve 43 and pipe 47 mto the burner tube 41. The kerosene under pressure thus passes through the burner tube, is heated and leaves the burner 42. vaporized and in condition to be ignited. Simultaneously with the opening of the valve 43, the switch 48 is automatically closed. This closes a circuit from the battery 22, through wire 23, switch 21, wire 24 swltch 48, wire 49, primary of s ark coil 50, wire 51, and wire 27. A big tension electric current immediately flows from the secondary of the coil, through wires 52 and 53, to the spark plug 54, thus-producing a succession of high tension electric sparks immediately above the burner casting.15.

.The hot kerosene vapor mixed with a suitablequantity of air, rushes through the burner castin and is i nited by the sparks produced at t e spark p ug. The flame thus formed has two effects: first, to heat the water in the boiler 17, and, second, to heat rapidly the main burnertuhe 13. After a requisite interval, which may be only a few seconds, the switch 48 is automatically opened, thus breaking the circuit to the spark coil, and no more sparks are produced at the spark plu since the flame is now selfsupporting. After the flame from the burner 42 has impinged upon the main burner tube 13 for a few moments, the latter will become so hot that kerosene may be forced through it and will be vaporized as it issues from the burner 14. When this moment arrives the mechanism automatically-opens the valve 55 which allows kerosene under pressure to pass through pipe 56, through the various controlling devices represented by the dotted lines 11 and so on through the pipe 12to the main burner tube. The controlling devices referred .to include the steam automatic valve -and low water automatic valve with which vehicles of this type are now regularly equipped.

In passing through this mainburner tube 13, the kerosene is heated to a high tempera; ture, and emerges from the burner 14 in the form of a vapor, which i nites upon reaching the flame produced by the burner 42. At this instant, the flame from the main burner 14 becomes self-sustaining and the switch 36 is automatically opened, thus breaking the circuit in which is the heating coil 39. Simultaneously the valve 43 is closed, thus shutting off the flow of kerosene through the burner tube 41 and the flame at the burner 42 dies out, but the flame at the burner 14 continues.

Upon hearing the roarin noise which is produced by the ignition o the fuel issuing from the main burner or burners 14, the operator manually opens the main burner valve 10. A few moments after the valve is automatically opened, it is automatically closed, and then the switch 21 automatically 0 ens, thus stopping the motor and leaving t e arts in their initial osition except for the act that kerosene under pressure is now flowin 10 an thence to the main burner 14, whe're it continues to burn and maintain steam in the boiler. As soon as the steam engine is through the main line to the valve started, the pump 4 willbegin to operate and will maintain the pressure in the kerosene line, but, in any event, the air domes 18 are of such capacit that even after the pump 32 has stoppe and before the pump 4 begins operating, they will maintain a sufliclent ressure in the kerosene line for a considera le length of time.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown one form of mechanism by which the sequence of events above referred to may be caused to take place automatically, Upon the shaft 28 of the motor 25 is mounted a worm 57. meshing with a worm wheel 57, which is mounted upon a cross-shaft 58. This shaft carries a worm 59 which meshes with a worm wheel 60mounted upon a shaft 61. It will be seen that through this double reduction, the

. speed of the shaft 61 maybe made very torshaft starts rotating mechanism above described, slowlyftnrns Y the shaft 61, which carries with it the disk I I Fig. 3. As soon as the disk starts tom M spring small, preferably so that it will revolveonly once in an interval of several minutes.

When the operator pulls out the ring'20, he

closes the contacts 62 of the switch-'21, these contacts being normally kept open by a 63, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. Just as soon as these contactsclose, the moand through the 64 in the direction indicated by the arrow in tate, its circular periphery engages the end ofthe plunger and maintains the switchcontacts 62 closed, keeping the spring 63 under compression. It Wlll be seen that these contacts will automatically separate when the disk 64 reaches such a position that the plunger 65 can enter the slot66 cut in the periphery of the disk 64. Consequently, the switch 21 will remain closed throughout a complete revolution of the disk" 64. Continned rotation of the shaft 61 brings a cutaway portion of the camli'l, which is mounted on the shaft, into register with the cam follower68, mounted upon; the plunger 69. The spring 7 O forces the follower into'the cutaway portion of thecam 67 and closes the contacts of the switch 36. At the proper moment teeth ctit on the face of the" disk 71, which may be called a mutilated gear and which is secured to the shaft 61, mesh with gear 72, thus rotating the shaft 73, which is connected to the valve stem 74 of. valve 43.

' Simultaneously the switch 48 is closed when a cutaway portion of the cam 7 5 comes into register with the camfollower 76 mounted on the plunger 77 actuated by the spring 78. It will be appreciated that the time of opening and closing the switches 36 and 48may be'accurately controlled by the position and i extent of the cutaway portions of the cams I 67 and 75, respectively.

The mechanism for turning the valve stem 79 of the valve 55 is similar to that described in connection with the valve 43 and consists shaft 73 by means of the of a shaft 80 carrying a gear 88 which is adapted to be rotated by a mutilated or segmental gear 89 also mountedon the shaft 61. To effect the closing of thevalve 43 I provide a mutilated gear 90 mounted. on the shaft 61 and which meshes with a gear 91 upon a shaft 92 which is -connected to the ears 93 and 94. Itwill be obvious that by t is arrangement the engagement of the teeth upon the mutilated gear 90 with the gear 91 at the proper time will rotate the valve stem 74 in the reverse direction, that is, the direction necessary to-close the valvei' Similar means is provided in connection with the other automatic valve and consists of a mutilated I 95 meshing with agear 96 on shaft 97 wii h 79 through the shaft which carries on its end a crown ratchet member 100 meshing with a crown ratchet member 101 rigidly fixed to the stem 79. The member. 100 1s splined to the end of the shaft 80 so as to be capable of sliding longitudinally upon the shaft while always rotating with it. The members 100 and 101 are normally. kept in, mesh by means of a spring 102. It Wlll be seen that when the shaft 80 ismoved in the direction to open the valve, its rotation will be. positively applied to the stem 79 and the valve .will vthus be opened, withoutquestion. When theshaft 80. is rotated in the opposite: direction to close the valve, the

the shaft 80 against the force of thespring 102 as the teeth of the two ratchet members ride over each other. Power is then applied to the valve stem 79 by means of a s ider, s ring103, mounted on the end of t e sha t 80 and in frictional engagement with a disk 104- fixed to the end of the stem 79. By means ofthis frictional engagement. the valve is closed, but whenit reaches itsseat, no damage-can be done, since a slight ratchet member-100 may recede back along" continued rotation or'overtravel of the shaft 80 will simply cause the spider spring to slip along over thesurface of the disk 104. This construction, therefore, provides a means for closing the valve, whileuaffording a positive drive for opening it. Similar means is provided in connection with the shaft 73 and'the valve stem 74..

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a modified mechanism for controlling the opening and closing of the valves 43 and 55. In this form, the motor 25 carries a worm 105 keyed to the shaft 28. This worm meshes with a to be capable of freely oscillating about a shaft 117. A segmental gear 118 is also loosely mounted on the shaft 117 .and is caused to oscillate through the agency of a rod 119 connected by a ball and socket joint 120 to a rod 121 connected to the strap 122 of the eccentric 123 mounted on the shaft 107. The segmental gear 118 carries a pawl mechanism 124 pivoted to the face of the gear 118 and provided with the dogs 125 and 125, which are adapted to engage the teeth of a gear 126 keyed to the shaft 117. The

dogs are normall held away from the teeth by the face 127 0 an eplarged portion of the bar 116. It will be seen that with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 4, the segmental gear and the dogs oscillate back and forth without causing any displacement of the gear 126 and the shaft 117. When, however, the raised portion 128 of the cam 111 engages the follower 113, the bar 116'will be thrown to the left, the dog 125 will be permitted to engage the teeth ofthe'gear 126 and by reason of the oscillation of the dog and of the segmental gear upon which 7 it is mounted, the gear 126 will be moved step by step in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. This action will continue as long as the raised portion 128 is in engagement with the follower 113 and may be utilized either to open or close the valve through the medium of the yieldable mechanism illus trated in Figs. 2 and 3. On the other hand,

when the cutaway portion 129 of the cam 111 is in contact with the follower 113, the

bar 116 will be moved to the right through the agency of the spring 130, and the dog 125 will drop into engagement with the teeth of the gear 126. Springs 131 are provided for forcing the ratchet dogs into engagement with the teeth. The engagement of the dog 125 with the gear 126 will move the gear in a counter-clockwise direction owing to the oscillation of the dog and the segmental gear 118. This providesa means for rotating the shaft 117 in the reverse direction.

The other valve stem may be operated through similar mechanism consisting of a segmental gear 132, the teeth of which are in mesh with the teeth of the segmental gear 118.

This gear is loosely mounted on a shaft 133 which also carries the controller 134 for the dogs 135 and 136, which are urged toward the teeth of the gear 137 keyed to the'shaft 133, by means of the springs 138. This controller is actuated by a bent lever 139 connected to thefollower 140 of the cam112, the spring 141 being utilized to keep the follower in contact with the face of the cam. The follower is shown in contact with the raised portion 1120f the cam which forces the lever 139 and the controller 134 to the right permitting the dog 135 to engage with the teeth of the gear 137.

In Fig. 6, I have shown a form of burner lfIRiCllfil'llSIn which I consider especially useu leads from the heated pipe 11 to a supplemental burner 151 situated above the burner casting 15. The stream of heated oil from this burner is adapted to beignited by sparks passing across the spark gap 152 in close proximity to the orifice of the burner. The function of this supplemental burner is to replace the spark plug 5t andto make certain the ignition ofthe vapor passing up through the burner casting 15 from the burners 42 or 14. In some instances sparks from the spark plug 51 might not ignite thisvapor until an explosive mixture had been created which would wreck the boiler, but there will be an adequate volume of flame from the burner 151 to insure timely ignition of the vapor ar'ising through the burner casting without any possibility of In this type of device a bypass 150 sufiicient time elapsing for the formation of Y an explosive mixture.

It will, of course, beappreciated that the relative time of opening and closing the only certain specific; embodiments of my invention, I realize that it is susceptible of wide application, and I do not (lesireto 'be'limited to the precise structure shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In combination in a device of the char-, acter described, a burner, independent means for heating the fuel supplied to the burner,

an automatic controller for said heating means and automatic means for governing the supply .of the'fuel thereto.

2. In combination in a deviceof the character described, a burner, independentmeans for heating the fuel supplied to'the burner, an automatic controller for said heating means and automatic means for governing the supply of fuel to the burner, said controllers functioning consecutively.

3. In combination in a device of the class described, a main burner, means for heating the fuel supplied to the main burner includ ing, an auxiliary burner, independent means;

i-for heating fuel supplied to the auxiliary burner and an automatic controller for the auxiliary burner heating means.

4. In combination in a device of the class described, a main burner, means for heating the fuel supplied to the main burner includ inganauxiliary burner, independent means forheating the fuel supplied to theauxiliary burner andan automatic controller for the auxiliary burner heating means and for governing the supply of fuel to the auxiliary rner.

5. In combination in a device of the class described, a main burner, means for heating the'fuel supplied to the main burner including an auxiliary burner, independent means for heating the fuel supplied to the auxiliary burner, an automatic controller for said auxil ary burner heatmg means and for govcluding an auxiliary burner, independent means for heating the fuel supplied to. the auxiliary burner, an automatic controller for said auxiliary burner heating means and.

for governing the supply of fuel tothe auxigniting the auxiliary burner. v

' 7. In combination in a device of the class iliary burner,- and means for automatically described, a main burner, means for'heating the fuel suppliedthereto, including an auxiliary burner, independent means for -heatingthe fuel supplied to the auxiliary burner,

an automatic controller for 'said auxiliary burner heating means and for governing the supply of fuel thereto, means for automatically igniting said fuel and means for controlling the supply of fuel to the main burner after its heating device becomes operative.

'8. In combination in a device of the class described, a main burner, means for heating the fuel supplied thereto including'lan auxiliary'burner, independent means for heat ing the fuel supplied to the auxiliary burner,

an automatic controller for said auxlhary burner heating means and for governing-the supply of fuel thereto, means for aut0mati cally igniting'said fuel and means for auto-:

matically controlling the supply of'fuel to I the mainrburner after its heating device be comes operative.

9. In combination in a. device of the class described, a main burner, means for heating the fuel supplied thereto, including an aimiliary burner, means for heating the fuel supplied to the auxiliary burner, means for controlling the supply of fuel thereto, means i for igniting the auxiliary burner, meansfor controlling the supply of fuel to themain burner, and an automatic controller forgoverning the operation of all of said means. 10. In combination in a devlce of the classdescribed, a main burner, means for heating the fuel supplied thereto, including an auxiliary burner, means for heating the fuel supplied to the auxiliary burner, means for controlling the supply of fuel thereto, means forigniting the auxiliary burner, means for controlling the supply of fuel to the main burner, an automatic controller for .governing the operation of all of said means,-means for initiating the operation of said controller, and automatic means for stopping said operation. JOSEPH C. FULLER.v 

